1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved bed sheet assembly that is particularly useful in connection with baby cribs.
2. Description of Related Art
A common problem with conventional sheets for beds is that they just do not stay tucked in, often requiring the bed to be remade after each night's sleep. This problem was solved with the use of fitted sheets some of which use elastic bands which extend diagonally between the corners of the sheets at the underside of the mattress to aide in the maintenance of the sheet on the mattress. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,489 "Fitted Sheet" by Anthony J. Ross discloses such a fitted sheet. The fitted sheet comprises top, side and end panels for covering the top, sides and ends of a mattress with adjacent ends of the side and end panels connected together to form vertical corners. The lower portions of the side and end panels extend into an underlying relation with the underside of the mattress. Elastic corner bands are attached to each side panel at a location spaced from one end panel and are otherwise attached to the same end panel to extend diagonally therebetween, and a cross band is attached to the lower edges of the side panels at a location adjacent the point of attachment of the corner bands thereto.
Another example of a method of securing seats to a mattress can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,133 "Bedding Attachment System" by M. B. Gilreath. A section of hook and loop type fastener half is positioned on the edge of a waterbed mattress adjacent each corner. The hook and loop type fastener half is either connected directly to the mattress or attached to a strip of material that extends beneath the mattress and is secured there by the weight of the mattress. This hook and loop type fastener half is attached to a mating hook and loop type fastener half formed on a mattress pad and/or a lower sheet. An upper sheet is similarly provided with hook and loop type fastener halves to engage with mating hook and loop type fastener halves on the lower sheet. Also, of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,375 "Bed Sheet Fastener" by R. W. Parker. Here a hook and loop type fastener half is mounted to the corners of the bed frame. Each corner of the sheet incorporates an opened end pocket having a mating hook and loop type fastener half. In operation, the user inserts his or her hand into the pocket through the open end and guides the fastener halves into a mating relationship.
While the above bedding arrangements all provide methods of securing sheets to a mattress they require access to the underside of the mattress for installation of the sheet every time the bed linen is changed. In the primary application of the instant invention, i.e., for baby beds and cribs this creates problems. Babies wet the bed and, thus, bed sheets must be changed quite often and changing conventional or fitted sheets adds alot of work. If the mattress is in a baby crib, this task is even more difficult and time consuming. The typical baby crib utilizes a plurality of vertical bars extending about the mattress to secure the baby therewithin while still allowing the baby to be viewed. Additionally, quite often a bumper, a vertical pad, is installed above and around the periphery of the mattress to protect the baby's head. Thus, when changing the bottom sheet you must reach down between the bars/bumper and the mattress and pull the fitted sheet out over the corner of the mattress. It is even more difficult to install a clean sheet. Often, the mattress must be "man handled" to its side in order to replace the bottom sheet.
Also of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,561 "Separable, Fitted Liner and Bed Sheet for Waterbeds" by Margaret McLeod. Here, a sheet and liner for waterbeds and the like is provided for use in cooperation with a mattress pad wherein the liner has inner and outer connective strips along its peripheral edge. The mattress pad is provided with a connective strip for attachment to the inner strip on the liner while the sheet is provided with a connective strip for attachment to the outer strip on the liner. A second sheet may be connected to the first sheet along a selected edge thereof. While the underside of the mattress need not be reached to install sheets, joining at the sides still presents access problems when the mattress is installed in a crib. Additionally, with the liners and sheet all connected to each other it is possible to separate the top and bottom liners from each other when removing the sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,508 "Bedding Assembly" by Deborah K. Ison a bottom sheet is attached to a mattress by means of a peripheral zipper. The top sheet is also attached to the bottom sheet also by means of a peripheral zipper. A blanket is secured to the edges of the top sheet by means of discrete fastening elements such as hooked fabric. The disadvantage of this design is that the use of peripheral zippers is expensive and in the targeted application, baby cribs, access to the peripheral portions of the mattress is restricted. In addition, zippers are prone to jam. U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,321 "Bedding Retaining Means" by Mildred Kintner discloses a mattress having a VELCRO hook and loop type fastener means along the peripheral edge of its top surface to which can be joined a mattress pad. While this allows the mattress pad to be removed with relative ease, and without requiring access to the sides or the underside of the mattress, the use of a VELCRO hook and loop type fastener in such a manner presents problems. The major problem is that the fastener means will wear out a lot sooner than the mattress requiring periodic removal of the worn VELCRO hook and loop type fasteners. This may or may not be easily accomplished.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,504 "Bedding Assembly" by Phillis Ainsworth some of the above problems are eliminated. Here, the bed pad is secured to the mattress by means of flexible looped straps at the corners of the pad which hook around the corners of the mattress. A plurality of VELCRO hook and loop type fastener halves are mounted along the periphery of the pad. A U-shaped sheet is provided wherein one leg is a bottom sheet and the second leg is the top ,sheet with the bottom sheet incorporating VELCRO hook and loop type fastener halves which mate with those on the bed pad. A blanket and bedspread are similarly attached by means of VELCRO hook and loop type fasteners. While this design allows the removal of the top and bottom sheet from the top side of the mattress it does not meet all the requirements for use in a bed for babies. Because babies wet the bed often, not only must a waterproof sheet or pad be provided between the mattress and bottom sheet, it should also be easily removed. This cannot be accomplished using the Ainsworth assembly in that it is the bed pad that is attached to the mattress.
Thus, it is a primary object of the subject invention to provide a bed sheet assembly wherein the bottom sheet can be removed without requiring access to the side or underside of the mattress.
It is another primary object of the subject invention to provide a bed sheet assembly wherein the bed pad and/or a waterproof pad can be installed on the mattress and retained thereon requiring access only from the top of the mattress.
It a further object of the subject invention to provide a bed sheet assembly wherein the bottom sheet and the mattress pad or waterproof pad can be removed with little effort.
It is a still further object of the subject invention to provide a bed sheet assembly wherein the means to secure the bottom sheet and/or the mattress pad and/or the waterproof pad can be easily removed from the mattress.